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Nobrow Press | Shop: London

Sometimes choosing is hard, but Nobrow doesn’t want readers to worry. The British press, established in 2008 by publishers Alex Spiro and Sam Arthur, works with both fine artists and slapstick cartoonists to create diverse editions of beautifully printed visual publications. With its collection of original comics, graphic novels, and art books, Nobrow has succeeded in carving a distinct place for itself in the growing crowd of independent book publishers.

“Starting out, we knew that the only way for the press to survive was if extreme attention was paid to form and detail,” Spiro says. Traditional spot coloring allows artwork to pop from thick, tactile paper stock. With French flaps, perfect binding, limited runs, (not to mention the artwork inside), each Nobrow edition is both a covetable tome and object to behold.

With the help of an international distributor, Nobrow recently launched its celebrated titles in bookshops across the United States. But Spiro and Arthur say the wider audience won’t change Nobrow’s relentless pursuit to publish beautiful and original books. “We’re not in this to work towards a mainstream,” Spiro says. “We’re interested in working with people who want to carve their own path.” One book at a time.

Launched during a recession in an already struggling industry, Nobrow's strength is swimming against the tide. “The future of print is in its past,” says Spiro. “We’re not like blogs. We don’t look for hooks. We want to create a culture around the book itself, and no one’s doing it the way we’re doing it.”

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Design Bureau delivers honest and inspirational global dialogue on design from diverse disciplines and points of view. It gathers people like you—creative professionals, style arbiters and industry leaders—and connects you with a like-minded community of design enthusiasts across the world with one common idea: discovering great design and the people who make it happen. Published in Chicago by ALARM Press.

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